Anyway, I don't actually know what made me wanna read it- I've seen the two movie versions, and still, can't seem to get enough, I guess. I think a little part of me wanted to see if the book was really like the original movie- it was. It's meant to be suspenseful and serious, rather than the ridiculousness that was the second attempt in 2004.
[Speaking of- what was that movie?? Did you see it? Were they robots, or simply mind-controlled? I don't even think the writers of the movie knew! I mean, in one scene, one of the Stepford wives spit out money from her mouth like an ATM (robot), but suddenly comes back to her real personality when the controller is broken at the end (human). Didn't get it.]
At any rate, it was an interesting read, especially as it's a novel from the 70s, and it deeply emphasizes the struggle between traditional v. modern women, ie housewives v. feminists. It's funny(ish) to read now bc at the time I guess, the line was so definite then, so this-way-or-that-way, no gray area, and now I don't think that there are too many women who feel like this. Why can't you be a good wife, have kids, and still have a career and interests outside the home? In this novel, the women originally were very driven, and pursued things outside the home- novelists, photographers- but were then changed into the Stepford robots who only lived to serve at home. (They also seemed pretty fixated on waxing their floors, which made me laugh, bc I have never done that- do people even still do that?)
I told Ezra that I was reading this, and I think I could see the wheels in his head turning...hmm, a robot that actually likes to clean, cook, be happy, and look nice all the time, who makes hot breakfasts and never yells...I think he was sold! ;)
Anyway, it was an interesting read- especially if you have only a few hours to kill!
[Speaking of- what was that movie?? Did you see it? Were they robots, or simply mind-controlled? I don't even think the writers of the movie knew! I mean, in one scene, one of the Stepford wives spit out money from her mouth like an ATM (robot), but suddenly comes back to her real personality when the controller is broken at the end (human). Didn't get it.]
At any rate, it was an interesting read, especially as it's a novel from the 70s, and it deeply emphasizes the struggle between traditional v. modern women, ie housewives v. feminists. It's funny(ish) to read now bc at the time I guess, the line was so definite then, so this-way-or-that-way, no gray area, and now I don't think that there are too many women who feel like this. Why can't you be a good wife, have kids, and still have a career and interests outside the home? In this novel, the women originally were very driven, and pursued things outside the home- novelists, photographers- but were then changed into the Stepford robots who only lived to serve at home. (They also seemed pretty fixated on waxing their floors, which made me laugh, bc I have never done that- do people even still do that?)
I told Ezra that I was reading this, and I think I could see the wheels in his head turning...hmm, a robot that actually likes to clean, cook, be happy, and look nice all the time, who makes hot breakfasts and never yells...I think he was sold! ;)
Anyway, it was an interesting read- especially if you have only a few hours to kill!
1 comment:
Sometimes I think I could take a lot of good hints from a Stepford wife.
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